Cover photo for William Hankison's Obituary
William Hankison Profile Photo
1969 William 2019

William Hankison

December 31, 1969 — September 22, 2019

William Lee Hankison, Jr., age 45, went to his eternal home to be with the Lord on Sunday, September 22, 2019. He was surrounded by family as he departed. He was known by many as Bill, Billy or Rescue Bill.

Bill was born in Melbourne, Florida on July 12, 1974. He is survived by his son, William Wesley Richards, his father, William Lee Hankison, Sr., his mother, Pamela Stetson Hankison, his sister, Stephanie Hankison Radican (Carey Radican), multiple aunts, uncles, and cousins. He was greeted in heaven by his grandparents, Winifred and Richard Stetson and Verna and William (Pete) Hankison.

Bill graduated from Essex High School in Tappahannock, VA. He attended Tidewater Community College and the University of Richmond. Bill served as a volunteer on the Tappahannock Rescue Squad and the Tappahannock-Essex Volunteer Fire Department. Emergency service was his passion. He worked as an EMT for Amelia Ambulance Service, Forrest Ambulance Service, and Sentara Medical Transport, and Northern Neck Medical Transport. He was employed as a State Mutual-Aid Support Specialist for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. Bill taught informal and formal training related to firefighter and emergency services training. In addition, he worked as an overnight stocker and assembler for Walmart.

Bill was a licensed amateur radio operator with the call sign K4DHO. This had been his grandfather Stetson’s call sign. Bill was able to have this call sign assigned to him by the Federal Communications Commission after his grandfather died.

Bill was a trained advocate for NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). His goal was to help reduce the stigma of mental illness by speaking to law enforcement officers and others about his own experiences. He was certified with NAMI as a speaker with their In Your Own Voice program.

A celebration of life and interment will be held at Ephesus Baptist Church, Dunnsville, Virginia on Saturday, September 28, 2019 at 11:00 am.

Bill gave to others without expectation of return or recognition. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Ephesus Baptist Church Sanctuary Fund, 287 Ephesus Church Rd., Dunnsville, VA 22454. Please write Bill Hankison, Jr. in the memo section of your check.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William Hankison, please visit our flower store.

Service Schedule

Past Services

Service

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Starts at 11:00 am (Eastern time)

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Photo Gallery

Guestbook

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Send Flowers

Send Flowers

Plant A Tree

Plant A Tree